


Of Feathers, Claws and Werebird Hobbits

by Razorling



Series: Feathersong [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: BAMF Bilbo Baggins, BAMF Dwarves, Blood and Violence, Epic Battles, Harpies, Harpy Bilbo, Hobbit Harpies, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Movie 1: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, OP Harpies, Orcs, POV Multiple, The Hobbit AU, Timeline What Timeline, Wargs (Tolkien), Were-Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-05-30 18:01:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15102050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Razorling/pseuds/Razorling
Summary: Bilbo is just your average respectful hobbit, what if sometimes he ends up flying a bit too high? He has wings to fly after all! What will he do though when a meddling wizard bring a bunch of dwarves to his cozy home? Will he be able to call himself a good host even when he didn't invite such people? Why does this dwarf king have to be so handsome? Why?![This story has been fixed of most typos and inconsistencies (on March/2019), the chapters have been redistributed by word number, so the story will still be the same, with more or less the same word count, though the chapters numbers have changed from 7 to 11 and are roughly 1.8 to 2k words each.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Child of the Earth and Sky](https://archiveofourown.org/works/731004) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 



> Hey there guys! This is my first contribution to this fandom, so I hope you all like it. 
> 
> In this story hobbits are descendants of the giant eagles and humans, they are still tiny and fussy, but there's a lot more than meets the eye. Harpies in this universe have their wings in the place of their arms, not angel-like like I see some descriptions of them and some of its lore is taken from the Greek and Roman mythology - but this will be addressed very briefly in this first part.
> 
> I change POVs a lot, but they all come with nice little ╳'s to make it easier to follow the POV change.
> 
> I don't have anyone to beta for me so if you guys see any typos, grammatical errors or some horrible plot hole just point it out, I don't mind and will fix it as soon as I can, nice comments are always welcome as well and it helps a lot to motivate me writing more and more!
> 
> The story that inspired me to write this fic is called Child of the Earth and Sky and I can't recommend it enough, it's awesome, a sad thing it's on an orphan account. :/
> 
> This fic will have a few OC characters, most of them minor ones that helps me out with writers' block and help the story to progress, some of them are gender-nonconforming (trans, agender, fluid, etc) and I hope you guys like their representation, as a gender-nonconforming person that sees too few representations out there I can't let it out of my stories. :)
> 
> At the fourth part of this fic though, one of the main characters will be revealed to be also out of the binary-spectrum, but there's still quite the long way to go, and yes, I plan to write four parts - three following the movies and another one after the quest and the war has ended - a somewhat domestic/fluff/slice of life conclusion.
> 
>  **Also:**
> 
> This story will be rewritten/added content as soon as I finish the second part (that is still in progress), this part was written rather hastily in 2018 and I want to add more details of their journey in this arc. You can read it without fear though, for what it has already been written will not change, only new insights and daily-occurrences will be added (not enough to change the baseline of the story, but to make it better, more detailed and less scattered-feeling).

**Of Feathers, Claws and Werebird Hobbits**

╳╳ Prologue: Trouble is on the way, his name is Gandalf. ╳╳

  
  
The day was perfect, Bilbo thought, sunlight was reaching the Shire through the gaps in the leaves of the giant house-trees giving the whole place a magical sight, by the little he could see, the sky was clear and even though slowed by the giant tree trunks that were the Shire's many homes a gentle breeze brushed his face, maybe being perched all day in front of his home was a waste after all. Without much thought he spread his wings and flew, the front door already locked, since he was planning to fly already, so he didn't had to worry about pesky relatives trying to sneak in and rob his mother’s china. Avoiding the tall trees with ease until reaching the tree tops and beyond he was rewarded with a cloudless blue sky and a blazing sun, he breathed deeply inhaling the fresh air and flapped his wings again, this time with more effort until he was high in the sky, higher than most dared to go even in festivities, but he didn't mind the heights of course, despite his last name, he was still a Took by the heart.   
  
He flew without destination, circling the Shire and the region around without the need to flap his wings anymore, relying in the wind currents instead and just enjoying the warm of the sun and the feel of the wind in his wings. He always loved the color they turned in direct sunlight, they would often appear somewhat of a dull beige when in shadowed places or cloudy days, but when bathed in sun rays they shone golden like a glittering treasure, just like his mother's feathers.   
  
He was still lost in thought when he saw a strange figure walking in the direction of the Shire, it was too high to discern who could be despite his keen sight, hobbits  _ were _ descendants of the Manwë Eagles, but also of the Man, diluting their many perks. He changed his route in direction of the figure still far away and in few minutes he was already close enough to see it was one of the tall folk, but his face was covered by a  pointed hat, he circled the person a few times to make his presence known (despite the rumors about him in the Shire, he  _ had  _ manners) and with a 'whoop' he landed by the person's side.   
  
“Bilbo! It's been a while!” Bilbo recognized the voice even before looking at the man's grinning face, of  _ course  _ it was Gandalf, he  _ did  _ recognized the hat.   
  
"Oh, hello Gandalf, it's indeed been quite sometime..." He really tried his best to smile, but he had the impression he wasn't doing a good job out of it, Gandalf was synonym with trouble and normally, trouble directed to his family.   
  
The wizard laughed when he saw Bilbo's strained smile and ruffled his hair and head feathers with a grandfatherly fondness that made Bilbo's mood get slightly better, until the old man started talking that is.   
  
"I was going to the Shire looking for you!" He said, walking again.   
  
"Of course you were." Bilbo muttered, but let his family's old friend talk.   
  
"There's a favor I need to ask you..." The wizard looked at Bilbo with a twinkle in his eyes and Bilbo knew too well what was going to come of it.   
  
"No." Bilbo said ruffling his feathers just a bit.   
  
"Oh, please you haven't even heard what I have to say yet, it's going to be an amazing adventure and your skills would be greatly appreciated-"   
  
"The last time you said it to my mother she was away for six months! Dad almost went feral with worry and I was just a kid! No, Gandalf, I'm not going." Bilbo's feathers were now all ruffled, his wings trying to open up like a damned owl.   
  
"Well, I admit that that time it was a miscalculation on my part, but your mother agreed and told you two to not worry. You knew how your mother were, she was more Eagle than Man, wild and free... and if she didn't go to adventures from time to time her feathers would dull and she would die like a caged bird." Gandalf's eyes were distant now, but still gentle, lost in some memory of his adventures with Belladonna for sure, his words making Bilbo's temper subside and be replaced by aching melancholy. "You are not married nor have a child to take care of, my friend, please, just listen to what I have to say and then decide for yourself if you want to go or not."   
  
Without even have time to process the wizard’s words (and how did he know Bilbo wasn’t married? They haven’t seen each other for decades!) Gandalf was gone with the promise to be back the next day with some more guests at the bottom of his tree house, completely ignoring Bilbo's protests. He sighed heavily and took flight again, such a beautiful day to be spoilt like that. 

 

╳╳ Chapter 1: No matter the universe, hobbits are always good at cooking. ╳╳

  
Knowing the damned wizard the chances were that he would bring a huge party of people or just one or two, but Bilbo wasn't going to take any risks, harpies were often seen as savages by people that didn't know them and it was their delight to show otherwise. He went hunting very early that day and prepared the boar and rabbits he captured with relative ease, his claws being sharper than knives when out and sharpened, cutting through the skin and flesh like scissors to paper, he skinned and deboned them and prepared them with the best spices he had at hand, boiling potatoes and other vegetables to accompany the meat, with sweet pies and cakes to be served as dessert.   
  
At the end of the day the food was on the table and everything was set and ready, it seemed exaggerated - considering his guests were probably not harpies that ate seven meals a day - now that he saw his job finished, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling at the feast he prepared by himself, his mother would be proud.   
  
A few minutes after he finished and was fussing around to make everything look tidy (not like it wasn't, but, hobbits), Bilbo heard the shuffling of someone climbing his rope ladder and a few curses here and there, his first guest had arrived it appeared. He opened the door before the knocking sound and came across a somewhat disgruntled looking dwarf, not even Bilbo liked climbing those rope ladders, so he could relate.   
  
The dwarf seemed mildly surprised by the sudden open door, but recovered very quickly.

"Dwalin, son of Fundin at your service!" The dwarf said with a gruff voice and a half bow.   
  
"Bilbo Baggins, at yours and your family." He had to rummage through his childhood memories to remember dwarven manners, it wasn't something common to hobbits learn deeply about other races, but children would often learn the basics to be polite when in contact with them, he hoped he got it right.   
  
Dwalin raised an eyebrow at him, looking less grumpy and if Bilbo had read him right maybe bemused? He entered the hobbit's house without ceremony, basically throwing his weapons and cape at Bilbo, that in return glared at him wondering if all dwarves were like that, his animosity was forgotten though when he heard the gasp from the dwarf when he saw the food in the middle of his home.   
  
Harpies houses were basically one huge round room (the size of the tree) with the furniture separating what would be the other ones, a bathroom normally located at the floor below and in some cases, like his house, another floor up that could be customized as the owner's wished, in his case his bedroom. His kitchen was at the opposite of the front door and the oven served as a fireplace to warm the house in cold days, at his right was what was supposed to be the living room, with couches and pillows and cushions all piled together around a small table giving off a very comfortable and warm look, at his left was what supposed to be the a guest room, there was more pillows and two big mattresses on the floor with blankets folded up nicely and right next to it, there was a study desk filled with papers and ink and his precious bookcases, the middle was occupied by his mother's dinner table, a huge thing made of solid dark wood, now filled with all kinds of food.   
  
He went to the dwarf's side after placing Dwalin’s things in a small desk that he had close to the entrance, putting one of his hands in his hips and giving Dwalin a sharp toothy half smile.   
  
"I have prepared it all myself, hunted too, to prove my hospitality, you can eat, don't be shy." He said in an amiable tone, the dwarf gave him a side glance with an unreadable expression, but went to one of the chairs, took a seat and started eating, before he could say anything though he heard more shuffling and a knock on his door, he went there hastily opening up to see a white haired dwarf in front of him, more were coming then, he was glad he prepared all that food.

 

Balin, Bilbo discovered was more polite than his brother, but as difficult to approach as the others, oh because of course there were others, many others actually, he counted twelve dwarves and a wizard so far and by what Gandalf told him they were still short of one guest.   
  
His guests at least looked very pleased by the food he made and despite a rowdy messy bunch, even Bilbo enjoyed the dinner, he separated some food for the last guest since he was late, he didn't want to be a bad host after all, even if he technically didn't invited any of them.   
  
They ate and sang and two of the younger ones started to throw his plates and his mother's china up and to each other at some point making him really distressed with the idea of anything breaking, others joined them and Bilbo was at his wit's end almost ruffling his feathers and growling at them like a feral harpy (or an angry owl, like his mother used to say) when they stopped and he saw all the plates tidily arranged on the table.   
  
He let out a sigh of relief and even chuckled a little, his feathers that were halfway ruffled smoothing out again, well, at least his guests seemed to think of him as harmless enough to tease, maybe that was good as long as they didn't try his patience too much, nobody needed to know that some harpies could actually act as barbaric as the tales people sung about them after all.   
  
A knock on the door silenced everyone and Gandalf hurried to the door and opened it, smiling at the last guest to arrive. Bilbo was close by, followed by most of his guests and looked curiously at the person greeting the wizard, his name was Thorin Oakenshield it seemed and he had a different air than the others, the two younger brothers, Fíli and Kíli, if he was not mistaken had the same aura, though much weaker than him. He was beautiful, Bilbo noticed, each one of them had their own unique features of course, it was second nature for hobbits to see beauty in people, despite the race, but this one was... different, the raven-like color of his hair, the ice-blue piercing eyes, even his stance was somewhat predatory and made Bilbo's heart skip a beat for some reason, but before he could think anything beyond admiration, the dwarf looked at him with somewhat cold eyes and the spell was broken.   
  
"So this is our Burglar?" He asked Gandalf, dismissing Bilbo's presence in front of him, the act hurting the hobbit more than it should with such a behavior. "He looks more like a little pet bird."

  
Ohhh, that was a low blow. Bilbo had to use all his will to refrain from screeching at him like a wounded animal, he steeled his gaze though and let his feathers rise just enough to look menacing, he felt the air around them changing and everyone noticed the tension in the air.


	2. Chapter 2

╳╳ Chapter 2: Never call a deadly harpy a pet bird, no matter how cute they are. ╳╳

  
When Thorin arrived at the Shire he let out a groan, it was bad enough having to live in the surface without the comfort of his beloved stones, now Gandalf convinced him to come to this place, filled with gigantic tree-houses of the harpy folk.   
  
If he hadn't heard so many vicious tales about these people he wouldn't have come, having even if just one of them with his Company could be useful and make all the difference in their quest, if, of course, the tales were true. He was starting to reconsider though, the Shire didn't look like a menacing home of a deadly half-eagle race, on the contrary, it was so beautiful and peaceful that if they were half birds at all, it seemed more probable that they were descendant of the little sparrows or of the gentle doves, he could bet they ate seeds instead of meat.

Still lost in gloom thoughts he found the house he was expected, a giant oak tree, taller and rounder than any other he had ever seen in his travels with a ladder made of rope being the only way to the entrance. At least their soon-to-be Burglar had good taste, not as if this could help any of them though.

He climbed and knocked and soon was greeted by Gandalf, that welcomed him heartily, for a meddlesome wizard he was a good person he had to admit. It was then that he saw him, he was sure the little creature was the one that Gandalf had told him, he was a strange mix of wild and gentle, with slitted leaf-colored eyes that had a hint of gold, dark blond and curly locks that were peppered by feathers in honey shades at the sides and in the middle, his skin was tanned slightly and his clothes were as bright as him, green velvet breeches, a yellow waistcoat with a brown jacket and brass buttons, there was no sleeve though to make room for his wings, the extension that would be his arm still looked like it, with clawed hands and all, but the rest of the wings extended much more and were neatly folded in themselves, yet even closed they looked beautiful. 

Of course, beauty wouldn't help them slay a dragon, so he buried this thoughts and made a very wrong comment.

He regretted his words almost instantly, the curious gaze of the hobbit turned into one of steel and he saw as his feathers ruffled menacingly, opening his wings just enough to look bigger than him, he felt more then heard than, for the sound was too low, a stomach churning growl, rumbling his very core, like a distant but terrifying storm.

“I would think twice before you start insulting me in my home  _ dwarf _ .” The hobbit almost spit the last word, yet still sounded like he said it with controlled anger, everyone around him (he noticed them only after the fiasco) growing tense. “We are a friendly folk Master Dwarf, but we don't take lightly on insults.” And with that the hobbit turned to Gandalf and spoke to him in a foreign language in which Thorin could not understand, then opened his wings and flew to a hole that seemed to connect to another floor in the house.

_ Well, good work making enemies out of your few allies. _ Thorin thought bitterly. 

 

╳╳╳

 

It took quite some time for Gandalf to convince the (pride) wounded hobbit out of his hiding hole (his bedroom), to join them once more. To be honest, the wizard didn't anticipated his little friend’s reaction, but he had a vague idea why he acted as such and, of course, no harpy liked being compared to defenseless or caged birds, despite their normally gentle nature.   
  
Of course before luring Bilbo out of his hideout he gave Thorin a side glare, the dwarf might be a king in exile, but there was no excuse to be rude with his host, even if he does look a lot like an oversized pet bird and is cute to a fault.   
  
He had some trouble lifting himself up to the second floor, there was no ladder there, since harpies could just fly wherever they wanted, but the house was made for small people and Gandalf was tall enough to not need wings to go there.   
  
When he looked around he found a bundle of feathers, pillows and blankets in one corner of the room that could only be his (sulking) bird friend.   
  
"Bilbo..." He spoke while sitting at his side, but got no reaction. "Thorin didn't mean anything bad by his words, they are dwarves and don't know what can be an insult to your kind.” He pondered for a second. “Most people don't actually."   
  
Bilbo stirred from his pillow fortress and blanket covers and peeked at Gandalf with one eye through a little gap, he looked ridiculously cute, just like when he was a little chick with still grey fur-like feathers, but Gandalf refrained from comment on that and went on, seeing that he at least had the hobbit's attention.   
  
"We're holding a meeting, Thorin is eating the plate you saved for him. It is important and I would like you to be with us to understand what is happening and why they need you in this quest." He smiled at Bilbo as reassuring as possible and got up, straightening his robes more out of habit than anything.   
  
The hobbit untangled himself from the blanket-pillow mass he hid and gave his whole body a very ungraceful shake just like a wet dog, what made Gandalf chuckle. The shake did its job though and his ruffled disarranged feathers smoothed and were perfectly presentable now.   
  
"I don't like him." The hobbit said with a huff and went to the entrance in the ground, waiting for Gandalf to descend first.

  
  
╳╳╳   


  
Bilbo overreacted. He noticed, now that his temper cooled down. At least he was in his room when he realized that and no one had to see his face heating in embarrassment, why by Manwë's name he reacted so... harshly? Sure, the dwarf was rude, but he shouldn't have felt so offended - or worse, acted so childishly.   
  
Before he could mull over it for too long though he heard a shuffling of someone trying to got up his room and a few moments later he heard Gandalf's calling his name. The wizard talked and kind of convinced him to go down, he should act more composed after all, he freed himself from the pillows and blankets that he was hiding (he had to admit it, even if it was embarrassing) in his bed, commented the obvious and waited Gandalf to join the gaggle of dwarves in his lower floor once again.   
  
The dwarves were mostly sitting in the couches and pillows in the living room area, Thorin by what he could see had finished his meal and joined the others, but he choose to avoid eye contact for the moment. The wizard sat on the only bigger chair Bilbo had and the hobbit stood up with his arm-wings crossed, it wasn't as graceful as when done by other races without wings, in his case all the bigger feathers sticked out to both his sides, but he felt better this way so he didn't care.   
  
Gandalf started explaining to him and the others the objective of their quest, taking a map then a key out of his pockets. His uneasiness grew and grew until hitting him like a diving harpy when he heard about the bloody dragon, he uncrossed his arms and let his feathers ruffle, this time going full threatened-owl like.   
  
"A what?" He asked exasperated.   
  
“Airborne fire-breather.” Said one dwarf.

  
“Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks.” Said another now smirking.

  
“Extremely fond of precious metals.” The last one said with a teasing tone and then Bilbo snapped.   
  
"I know what a bloody dragon is!" His voice was bordering hysterical, but he couldn't care less. "How do any of you plan on killing such a beast?!"   
  
"We won't." Thorin said, his stern kind of cold expression still the same. “Not right away at least.”   
  
It was then that Gandalf explained the rest of their plan, they needed a Burglar to steal a certain jewel from the dragon's hoard, a jewel that will give Thorin authority enough to summon the dwarf armies throughout the scattered nations and then attack, well it didn't sound half bad. Aside from the fact that said Burglar was him and that even when the dwarves had an army ready to strike and fully armed they still weren't able to take down the beast.   
  
Bilbo still recalled when the tragedy struck the dwarves so far in Erebor, an exodus, so many families passing by through the roads close to the Shire and away, many were badly hurt with terrible burns and scars, some famished and all tired, his people helped them as best as they could, mostly they hunted and shared with the caravans they knew were from refugees, but aside from that there wasn't much they could do and after some time they decreased until being a rare sight once again.   
  
He refrained from commenting on this though, not wanting to anger his guests, he was sure pointing that out would only make them mad, so he just listened. At the end of the meeting the white haired dwarf, Balin, if he recalled right, took a very long piece of paper and gave to him, his contract he was told.   
  
Bilbo took it and read it all, some parts aloud and with a somewhat wavering voice, the parts of being burned to death most precisely. He took a deep breath and looked back at the Company in front of him, his Baggins side was screaming at him that signing it was a very Bad Idea, but Gandalf seemed confident in his 'burgling' abilities (though he didn't know why, he had never stole anything in his life) and he wasn't inclined to tell him otherwise, not in front of Thorin at least.   
  
"I'll think about it." He said and for his surprise he meant it, doing things rushed weren't in his nature, so pondering about it until the next day was a good option.   
  
They still talked some more and he fixed the guest room area as best as he could to fit thirteen dwarves as comfortably as possible and then excused himself to his room once more, this time not in an anger fit, but because he had too much to think and was actually somewhat tired after such a busy day.   
  
He slept by the sound of dwarven music a deep voice resonating in his very being, he didn't like to admit that he recognized Thorin's voice, or worse, that he actually loved it when he sang. 

"Don't be stupid Bilbo." He muttered and  let himself drift to sleep through it, forgetting about the world and his worries about dragons and fire, if only for a night.


	3. Chapter 3

╳╳ Chapter 3: Chirping harpies are adorable despite the teeth. ╳╳

  
  
Ori didn't know what to think when he heard the voice coming from above.   
  
"Aren't you all forgetting someone?!"   
  
Ori looked up and saw their host of the previous night flying in their direction more like he was floating, so smooth was his flight, the contract flapping in the air, only held by his now clearly visible and despite not that big, still intimidating claws, and by Mahal, wasn't he a sight? At night all he could see from the hobbit was his honey-colored feathers with dark blond hair and despite its strangeness and beauty it didn't hypnotized him like in that moment, now that the sun was up in the sky and shining on his feathers the color that was reflected was a myriad of shades of gold, like a treasure given life. He was sure he wasn't the only dwarf marveled by the sight, since even Thorin seemed to be trying to keep his expression cool, yet failing.   
  
Gandalf laughed when he saw his harpy friend and Ori felt happy to have him join their party, no matter what Thorin had said about the hobbit or how skeptical the others felt, he seemed reliable and now being able to see more clearly, the claws in his hand and talons were formidable, no wonder they could hunt down boars with ease.   
  
He landed on the top of the baggage of a riderless pony and perched there like it was the most natural thing in the world, smiling happily at them, it was then that Ori noticed, the supposedly 'harmless' and 'defenseless' hobbit had  _ pointed sharp teeth _ . How could any of them have forgotten that harpies were, by all means, predators. All tales had some base to originate from and just because a race was peaceful now it doesn't mean they  _ always  _ have been, take the elves for example.   
  
Ori observed their new member with interest and curiosity, he chatted with Gandalf animatedly, the wizard slowing down his own horse to talk to his friend. Bilbo, if Ori remembered his name right, between a word or another made sounds that seemed suspiciously like chirping and that was strangely endearing for a creature that had so many weapons as part of their body, it was confusing at best.   
  
_ It's going to be a really interesting journey. _ Ori thought happily.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
Bombur, decided, really liked their new addition. He had to admit that he was a bit apprehensive before meeting the hobbit, there was many legends about harpies that were downright scary, but their new little friend wasn't anything like that. Yes, he had wicked claws in place of nails, his talons could give nightmares to a warg and his pointed teeth were a bit frightening before getting used to, but he proved the hobbit's food and if there was one thing he was good, was judging people’s character by their cooking skills! And Bilbo's was top notch.   
  
He never thought he would find someone capable of cooking with as much passion as himself and he was not being arrogant here, his craft was Cooking, no matter how little dwarves thought of it as such.   
  
The two of them became fast friends, talking about recipes with him was a delight, he knew as many as Bombur and most of them exotic, but delicious sounding, the only sad part was that they didn't have many ingredients to make them in the road, but this didn't stopped neither of them to try.   
  
Another peculiar thing about Bilbo was his almost supernatural abilities in hunting, or finding prey, as he like to say. His hobbit friend explained to him one day that it wasn't anything special, it was just because his vision was almost as good as an eagle and flying helped a lot more than having to track down animals in forests, Bombur nodded at his explanation, but was not exactly convinced, every time they meat ended he would take flight and be away for a few hours, coming back with his talons full of rabbits, squirrels, even snakes, and one time, for everyone's surprise, a friggin boar! Nobody knew how something so little could carry basically his own weight in flight, Gandalf, as always, just laughed at their stunned faces.    
  
The funniest (and strangest) part, was that despite all the signs and very visible demonstrations that the little hobbit was not harmless in any way, he passed that impression. Bombur wasn't being mean when he thought that, he was certain the others noticed it too, it was in the friendly way Bilbo talked to them, or how he chirped like a little bird when he ate something he really liked, in his little kind gestures towards the members of the company, even to those who, in Bombur's opinion didn't deserve them, like Dwalin or Thorin, that never truly mistreated the poor hobbit, but never tried to actually treat him nicely either. Bilbo made Bombur feel like he needed to be protected somehow, a precious little thing and he was sure most of the others thought it too by the way they acted around him, which in hindsight it was funny, really. 

  
  
╳╳╳

 

The howl that perpetuated the night made Bilbo growl instinctively, Fíli and Kíli, that were snuggling with him, each protected from the cold by one of Bilbo's wings looked at him curiously, the chicks were really fearless, one part of him thought, but well, they didn't need to fear him at all, he really liked the boys, basically adopting them after seeing Kíli shaking slightly in a particularly cold night.   
  
Of course when he started fussing about it Kíli tried to wave him off saying he was fine, but Bilbo would have none of it, he knew by Balin that the two were basically teenagers yet, barely reaching adulthood, how could he let them be? And harpy feathers were great at blocking the cold and really warm, so in those colder nights he would drag the two dwarrow-chicks under his wings and sleep like his mother had done with him so many times in his own younger years.   
  
The two of them tried to resist at first "We're not chicks Bilbo" they tried to argue (even though they were laughing), now they just teased Bilbo's motherly behavior from time to time, but he didn't mind at all.   
  
"Scared?" Kíli asked with a teasing smile, of course he knew Bilbo wasn't, if the growl was any indication.    
  
"As if." Bilbo scoffed. "If you were impressed with me lifting a boar that was because you never saw a feral harpy in action." Bilbo's smile was a bit more wicked than he was comfortable, but he couldn't help himself, his kin also inherited the same purpose as Manwë's Eagles even if they blood was mixed.   
  
"Feral?" Fíli asked with a lifted eyebrow and Bilbo noticed the other dwarves were also hearing, interest piqued.   
  
"Yes, well, our Feral State, as we call it, is pretty much like what I heard about Berserker dwarves if my knowledge is right." Bilbo said, trying to recall the little knowledge he had about them, it wasn't a secret, but it have been a long time since he read about it.   
  
"Berserker harpies?" Dwalin asked brow furrowed, he normally ignored Bilbo giving the hobbit the impression he didn't like him, just like their leader, but the comparison seemed to be too interesting to simply let go, even Thorin, Bilbo noticed was listening, though his expression was still as neutral-unfriendly as always.   
  
"It's close, but we have a much greater deal of control over it, unless under too much stress, like a life and death situation. It's pretty handy, but the longer we stay Feral the harder is to turn back." Bilbo looked at the fire, bitter and old memories resurfacing. "I heard that in the first days of my kin, when war ravaged the world and we had no choice but to go feral to win against much greater enemies many lost themselves to the beast within instead of conquering it. Mad feral harpies are violent and unable to reason with." Bilbo sighed deeply. "Today we only fall so low when struck by grief, since we don't have to fight for days without rest. It normally happens when our Soulmate dies, we either die after a few months or... lose our minds completely…” His voice was quiet at the end, he remembered how powerless he felt after his mother’s death and the terrible months that followed in his father slow descent to madness, he never attacked Bilbo, but in the night that he lost the ability to turn back he flew away and Bilbo never found or heard of him again, the pain subsided after so many years, but even so it was still there.

Bilbo knew the others were curious to know more, but after remembering his father he didn't felt like talking about it, so he gave a very exaggerated yawn and told them he would answer any other questions about it tomorrow, biding everyone good night and pulling Fíli and Kíli a bit closer to completely cover them with his feathers like a blanket and closing his eyes.

 

╳╳╳

  
The conversation of the previous night has been... strange, but not in a bad way. For Balin what caught his attention more than the fact that harpies were basically were-creatures with a better degree of control, was the idea that hobbits had Soulmates. By what he could understand it was pretty much like the Ones for dwarves, with some differences along the way, but all in all it was the closest he ever heard of another race with a concept such as that. He wanted to ask more about it to Bilbo, his culture seemed fascinating, but his brother seemed to finally acknowledge that their little friend was as far as possible of a 'pet bird' as Thorin had so eloquently put it in their first meeting and started to ask a lot of questions about harpies feral states.   
  
To be fair it was interesting, by what he heard it had a semblance with dwarven Berserkers, but at the same time the differences were also great. The transformation, as Bilbo called it, was easy, they just had to will it to happen and that was it, no need to be angry or in a battle frenzy and all harpies could go feral if they wished, well that was a somewhat troubling thought. Aside from getting stronger, they changed physically too, literally growing, arms, legs, their very bones, their feathers turning into something resembling an armor to protect them, still light and malleable to not hinder their flight or movement and many other things that Balin heard in barely contained astonishment.   
  
His addition to their party, Balin thought, was a good thing. Even he, being so open minded, was slightly skeptical of having a non-dwarf with them to such a mission (aside from Gandalf of course), but his opinion changed the moment he laid his eyes on the hobbit, no matter how kind and well mannered he acted, his claws were sharp and he knew the little thing was anything but weak, he was sure his skills would prove to be invaluable to them.


	4. Chapter 4

╳╳ Chapter 4: Never underestimate a hobbit unless you don't mind getting hurt (or dead). ╳╳

 

Dwalin still didn't believe half of the things the hobbit said, just because he could carry a boar in the air without looking strained didn't mean he was any sort of warrior, he didn't look like one, not even with his sharp teeth and claws... and talons... but for more that he hated to admit, he was curious.  
  
Berserkers were rare among dwarves and to think all of the little hobbit's people could simply snap their fingers and turn into something even remotely close to one was an irksome thought. He didn't know what to think about it, or even believe in it, but his doubts were about to be answered when the halfling suggested something that made everyone look at him somewhat astonished.  
  
"Well, I can see you are having a hard time to believe me, Master Dwalin, why not prove my words with a duel then? Just to spar, nothing bloody I hope." Bilbo was smiling and despite being sincere his sharp teeth made it look somehow wicked.  
  
"How can you fight me without a weapon?" He tried not to sound too harsh, but it wasn't in his nature to be tactful, for his surprise though, the little hobbit just smiled wider.  
  
"Well, I was born with my weapons." He flexed his hand and the little claws that took place of his nails grew like a cat's and Dwalin's doubts started to waver even then. "And as I said, while feral our feathers turn into something like an armor, you don't have to worry about hurting me unless you aim for my face, if, you can hit my face that is."  
  
Oh that last comment made him snap internally and he accepted the challenge with a sour expression. Everyone was paying attention to them now, of course, some with worried expressions like Fíli and Kíli that grew fond of their Burglar, others seemed more amused than worried though and his king, as always was wearing a perfectly schooled expression. Even through his mask of indifference though, Dwalin knew he was worried as well, he pretended he didn't care, but the dwarf warrior knew Thorin since they were very young, his cold and annoyed demeanor wasn't out of spite, on the contrary, it was because he cared and Dwalin had the impression the king's fondness of their Burglar wasn't just friendly, since the day Thorin saw Bilbo flying like a golden jewel towards them something in his king seemed to change, not in a bad way, but Dwalin didn't like it at first. It was mostly because he didn't thought the hobbit was worth of someone like Thorin, being such a gentlefolk and all, but maybe he was wrong, at least part of him hoped.  
  
They stopped to mount camp and after that Dwalin and the hobbit went a little further from the others by Bilbo's request, they were all observing them even from the distance with varied expressions. The hobbit started to strip off his upper clothes and Dwalin lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"I don't want to feel constricted." Bilbo explained without the need to ask and Dwalin just nodded, preparing his sword, despite what the hobbit said he didn't want to use a warhammer against the poor lad, with a sword he was certain he would do enough damage.  
  
When Bilbo was done he noticed the entirety of his body was covered in feathers, slightly paler than his wings, tail and head, but still of the same honey-colored hue and he was sure they would shine golden just like the rest of his body in the sunlight. The halfling gave a deep breath and closed his emerald green eyes, he stayed like that for almost a minute, Dwaling was almost losing his patience when abruptly the hobbit opened his eyes, they were as red as blood and almost glowing, making a chill roll down on the warrior’s spine.  
  
Never, in his life he saw something so haunting and so beautiful at the same time and by the gasps of the others and Thorin's surprised face he was not the only one to think that. The hobbit hunched and he saw his body shift under itself, elongating his limbs like he was stretching, strangely going from gruesome to gracious, he fell on all fours, opening his wings as a shield to his sides and he saw as even his feathers changed from it's honey color to a reddish copper, some sticking out like spikes in the extremities, his claws grew more and turned darker, just like the ones in his talons, he growled, a deep beast-like sound, inhuman even to his own ears, and the sharp teeth were even bigger, long canines now clearly visible in his mouth. If not for the clearly intelligent eyes in Bilbo's feral face in front of him he would have thought the hobbit's consciousness was lost to the beast.   
  
"Still doubting, Master Dwalin?" The werebeast voice was still Bilbo's, but there was rasp in it that clearly discerned the gentle hobbit to the feral one, Dwalin had to try really hard no to gulp, he was already regretting choosing the sword instead of his hammer.

  
╳╳╳

  
_Oh ho!_ Bifur thought, if Dwalin didn't acknowledge their little friend before, now he certainly did! No one in the Company knew, aside from his cousins, that Bifur had been a Berserker in the past, the hatchet in his head robbed him of many things, including the raw power that surged in him when in the peak of battle, but he still remembered it and knowing that Bilbo could do something similar excited him like he was a little dwarrow child again.   
  
What made him almost choke with the water he was drinking though was when the transformation started, he heard Bilbo talking about it of course, but seeing and imagining were two completely different things, when it finished and he stood there, crouching like a feathery beast with his red hues Bifur though for a moment that he seemed like some sort of fire bird from their old lores, it was called a phoenix if he remembered correctly, fiery and dangerous.   
  
When Bilbo lunged Bifur held his breath and so did the others, Dwalin deflected the first strike, but he could see the hobbit was holding himself back, his claws could have sliced the sword if he so wished, he was sure of it and by the looks on Dwalin's face he knew it too. The fight was beautiful though, Dwalin was one of the most skilled warriors Bifur ever met only losing to Thorin and Bilbo, despite lacking any kind of technique, knew how to use his claws as weapons perfectly and so his feathers in defense, he wasn't joking when he said they turned into something akin to armor, Dwaling landed him more than one direct blow and it simply made the blade recoil back with a sound like hitting a very sturdy metal. They danced around each other, one like was part of the earth itself never faltering and the other jumping and flying around like the birds of prey that he was descendant of.   
  
The fight was fast paced like their blows and after a few minutes it ended with a halt, Dwalin's sword pointed at Bilbo's left eye and the harpy's claws close to the dwarf warrior's neck, the silence drew for a few tense seconds when each withdrew their weapons and a cheer went on through the Company, Bifur joining them in unrestrained glee.   


╳╳╳

  
Thorin being nice was a weird thing, Bilbo thought.

After sparring with Dwalin in his feral form he found that the Company looked at him with newfound respect, everyone have been nice to him, some more warm, others more formal, but all in all the only two who seemed to share some sort of misplaced antagonism towards Bilbo was their king and his captain. Now though even those who acted more formally around him seemed more open, like Nori and Dori, for example, the former asking him a lot of questions about his fighting style and if he could teach him some moves, even if he didn't have claws or wings to back them up and the latter talking about various types of tea for his surprise and delight.  
  
Dwalin too changed the way he treated him, despite still always wearing a stern expression he didn't looked coldy at him anymore and didn't sound so rude when asking something, it was a nice change, but the one that surprised him the most, of course, was Thorin.   
  
Not that the exiled king changed _too_ much, but Bilbo noticed he didn't scowl to him anymore and sometimes even talked to him without the impression that he was being forced to do it. Thanks to it Bilbo wariness towards him started to fade, even if slowly and he caught himself thinking again on how beautiful the color of his hair was or how vibrant blue his eyes became when illuminated by the moonlight.   


╳╳╳

  
When his brother came running to him with a worried expression Fíli knew they were in trouble, of course they were, taking a nap while they should be watching the ponies was a _bad_ idea, no matter how tired the both of them were with all of that endless travel in the rain.   
  
When Bilbo appeared with their food he was torn between feeling relief and worry, their harpy friend was remarkable and ferocious when needed, so maybe he could help them, but at the same time whatever took the ponies, because of course was _something_ by the trail of destruction left, it was big and certainly dangerous. While Fíli worried, his brother seemed to be nothing but amused at their predicament, which annoyed him to no end and he had to suppress the urge to kick him.

The three of them followed the trail after explaining what happened to Bilbo and to Fíli's horror what took them were giant, smelly and dangerously strong mountain trolls. He took a lungful of air and almost gasped at Kíli’s suggestion, of course he would want to send Bilbo to retrieve the ponies, like it wasn't _their_ damned fault.

The idea didn't sound totally stupid though, Bilbo was fast, his claws could easily cut the rope and when he wanted he could be the stealthiest person Fíli ever met, to the point that it was a bit disturbing. Bilbo looked to them like they were two little children that suggested something really stupid though and his heart sank.

“Sure Kíli, but for this to work someone has to distract the trolls or freeing the ponies will be for naught, since you suggested I'm sure you will volunteer, right?”

Bilbo’s words made Kíli’s amused expression vanish in a second replaced by uncertainty, but before Fíli could worry Bilbo broke into a teasing smile.

“I'm just kidding chick, but your plan _is_ flawed.” He pointed out before Kíli could say anything. “First of all, which of you are the fastest runner?”

“Me.” Kíli said looking puzzled.

“Great, so, here's my plan. You will run as fast as you can to the camp and tell the others to come here, but do not attack unless I give you guys a signal.” Then he looked at Fíli. “You will release the ponies while I distract the trolls, it will be easy, but I still want Kíli to call the others if anything happened. Any questions?”

They shook their heads in synchrony and after a few more instructions of Bilbo's part they waited for Kíli to be out of sight to start their plan, Fíli really hoped that everything would end up well.


	5. Chapter 5

╳╳ Chapter 5: Lovestruck & out of luck. ╳╳

 

Bilbo was slightly nervous, the plan sounded all well when he thought it, but uneasiness started to settle on his stomach as he flew to the big rock that sheltered the trolls’ camp.

His flight was swift and silent as was for all his people and the trolls only noticed him when he cleared his throat.

 

“Well! Look at we have here!” He said loudly and saw as three heads snapped at his direction. 

“Oh! Look guys! A talking bird!” One of the trolls said with a confused expression. 

“It's not a bird, is it?” Another asked scratching his head.

“Can we eat it?” The last said dumbly and Bilbo couldn't resist a snicker, these creatures could be big and dangerous, but they were so stupid that it was funny, the tension in his body started to ease off, if only just a little.

“You could said I’m a bird, but I'm not only bird. And no, you can't eat me, unless you let me eat one of you first, will you?” Of course Bilbo wouldn't ever eat troll meat, the thought made his stomach churn, but he asked it to confuse them and confuse them it did.

“What? Why would you eat one of us?” The taller of them asked, but was cut short by the other one that got closer to Bilbo’s place.

“You are not only bird?” The smallest asked trying to reach him with one hand.

 

Bilbo flapped his wings, flying above them at a safe distance, but still close enough to keep their attention focused on him, Fíli by what Bilbo could see was doing a great job at retrieving the ponies.

 

“Not fair!” One of the trolls cried in dismay when he noticed jumping to catch Bilbo wouldn't work.

“Yes, fair.” Bilbo said flying lazily, sometimes low enough to give them hope then flying away again. “You didn't answer me. If you let me eat one of you I will let you eat me, now, which of you are going to volunteer?” And just to annoy them Bilbo passed very close to the taller troll’s head and was rewarded with another frustrated cry.

 

╳╳╳

 

When Óin arrived with the others he almost had a heart attack at the scene played in front of him, by what Kíli told them they were not supposed to attack the trolls camp, just wait in case help was needed and for his surprise indeed Bilbo seemed still out of harm’s way, but the fact that the lad was there talking to the damned beasts didn't seat well for him, not at all and the others around him seemed as tense with the whole ordeal as him.

He spotted Fíli bringing what seemed to be the last pony from the trolls camp and saying something to his brother and uncle, but Óin was far and couldn't hear well in this distance, not to say they were probably whispering to avoid the trolls attention.

Bilbo was flying from one side to another always out of reach, certainly saying something to the trolls since they seemed completely enthralled by him even if sometimes one or another made an attempt at caching him only to fail miserably. 

If it wasn't his friend there Óin would have thought the scene funny, but it was and they were at the risk of being spotted anytime so he was tense instead. He didn't know what Bilbo was doing, but they stayed like that for quite awhile, their hobbit friend talking with the three creatures without ever stopping, sometimes irritating the trolls, others just making them confused, when Óin started to wonder how long Bilbo planned on keep doing this, he saw a figure right up on the rock, Gandalf had arrived.

 

╳╳╳

 

Thorin caught himself letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding when Gandalf broke the rock with his staff and the sun turned the trolls into stone.

After spending more time with Bilbo he learned many things and the one he was sure was that harpies were not defenseless, this didn't stop him from worry though. He also realized, for his desperation, that the hobbit had an unlikely effect on him, when he first saw Bilbo on his home he did find the little strange creature beautiful, but the next day when Thorin saw him flying in their direction illuminated by the sun like a golden bird of legends his heart started to beat faster and he had to control his breathing for he  _ knew _ he was doomed.

After that he tried really hard to ignore his feelings, how could a dwarf king fall for someone like him? He was wild, no matter how polite the hobbit acted, he could see it in the very nature of Bilbo’s race, they were creatures of the sky and forest, Thorin was of stone and of the underground, they couldn't be more opposites even if they tried.

The fight with Dwalin changed things though, all the work he put to ignore Bilbo and pretend his heart wasn't a hammering mess when the hobbit was close were throw out the window for if he had fallen that first day he was bewitched by the feral form of their Burglar.

The copper feathers, the red blood eyes, the deadly grace he landed his attacks, this was supposed to scare people, but all Thorin could think at that moment was how something so dangerous could be so breathtaking.

And now here he was, worried sick with their Burglar because he decided to acknowledge his feelings, he was still wondering if doing so was a good idea at all. His thoughts were interrupted though when he saw said Burglar fly in his direction with a captivating smile, Thorin had to hold himself from breaking into a stupid smile himself at the sight and look like a complete smitten fool, so he schooled his expression the best he could and went out of his hiding place to meet with Bilbo half way.

The others did the same, most cheering and complementing Bilbo for his courage and cunning and even Thorin couldn't resist a small smile in Bilbo's direction.

 

“They are right Master Baggins. You were indeed courageous and cunning in the way you tricked the trolls.” Thorin said without being able to hold his tongue, before he could regret his words though he was rewarded by a flushing hobbit and if not by Gandalf’s cough he almost lost his composure. “And of course, thank you too Gandalf, where did you go, if I may ask?”   
  
“To look ahead.” The wizard answered in his cryptic tone as always.   
  
"And what brought you back?” Thorin asked trying really hard to sound polite, not annoyed.    
  
"Looking behind.”

 

And once more Thorin had to suppress an exasperated sigh, at least the sight of Bilbo blushing was worth all the troubles they had so far.

 

╳╳╳

 

Bilbo didn't thought he had a need for a sword, but Gandalf insisted, so he strapped it in his waist and waited for the others to finish their exploration of the troll cave with the ponies. He was glad the animals were safe, he might not need to ride them since he preferred to fly most of the time (and acting as a lookout on the process), but he grew fond of the animals and he sometimes perched on Myrtle’s back when his wings were tired.

Oh, who he was kidding? He was concerned with the ponies, of course, but his mind was trying really hard to distract itself instead of thinking about how he blushed like a teenage harpy after a few compliments from Thorin. His face was almost heating again at the thought, but was cut short by the sound of something approaching, he tensed and felt the others tense as well, all readying their weapons.   
  
The person who appeared in front from them though was a strange, instead of a threatening sight. His clothes were battered and brown, he had a strange hat with… a bird’s nest? And... something in his face that made Bilbo shudder at the thought, he knew some people weren't as throughout about hygiene as harpies, but that was too much! His eyes were drawn to the sledge though, it was pulled by the biggest hares he had ever seen and for a moment his eyes turned into slits and his eagle side thought how delicious they might be, he shook his head the next second, what a silly thing to think, the hares still looked at him warily, like knowing exactly what he thought of them moments ago.    
  
Radagast was the stranger’s name, he was another wizard and Gandalf's friend. By the bits and pieces of the conversation he heard and by the way he was frantically gesturing to the grey wizard something was not right, it was in that moment that Bilbo heard the howls. At first he felt his blood freeze and worry creep in, the dwarves were mounted and ready in seconds and Radagast shouted to Gandalf that he would distract them to give the Company some advantage.   
  
He could, no, he should stay with his friends, but his instincts were warning him, the ponies would not be able to outrun the wargs, staying would be their doom. He flew to Gandalf and all but temporarily perched on his shoulders, if their situation wasn't so dire it would be funny.   
  
"You are still planning to go to Rivendell, right?" Bilbo knew the wizard would lead Thorin there, the dwarven king wanting or not, Gandalf nodded and looked at Bilbo with pained eyes, he knew what the hobbit was planning. "Don't worry old friend, I'll meet you all there." He said with a reassuring smile, his eyes already changing to red. "Have you ever seen an harpy fail in battle?" Before Gandalf could answer though, he flew high and fast, he heard his name being called on the distance by more than one dwarf, but he had to ignore them and hold on his resolve, he might have been born with all the weapons his race provided, but he never fought so many enemies before, yet he never had a reason to do so either, so up he went and in a question of seconds he turned back and could see the entirety of the field, the Company, Radagast and now the warg riders as clear as players in a board of chess. 

  
He flew to the direction of the enemy and let out a piercing cry that without knowing was also heard by the elves that were on patrol close to the area. Much faster than the last time he felt the rush of power consume him as the beast took control, feeding it with the rage he felt for the creatures persecuting his friends,  _ they won't touch them _ , he thought with a fierceness so common of his race, _ I won't let _ .


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see Dori a little bit as a Tolkien version from uncle Iroh from Avatar, so bear with me! xD

╳╳ Chapter 6: Gimli’s fondness for elves have to come from somewhere after all. ╳╳

  
  
Elrond didn't shudder only thanks to millenia of training, the battle cry he heard was a familiar yet worrisome sound, it made he remember the wars of his past and all the blood spilled in fields far from his home, it was not a memory he wanted to dwell with for the wounds of his body might have healed, but the ones in his mind were still there, more open than he liked to admit. He focused on the moment instead, a harpy was hunting in the skies, it was rare for them to come so far now, even if for their kind traveling was faster than to other races, they tended to stay on their own territory and in the last hundreds of years the previous generation settled with a peaceful purpose, healing themselves from the bloody warring from the past and teaching their children gentleness instead of bloodlust, the cry he heard though was nothing but a feral warning, whoever it was, was descending on its enemies with the clear intent of fight.   
  
Elrond and his party was already riding to the direction of the cry and the closer they got the clearer his vision became, warg riders were chasing a group, it was far still, but he was sure they were dwarves and in the sky he glimpsed a sight he had not seen in a very long time, the dive of a harpy.

 

This one was of the old blood, its copper feathers gleaming in the sky like a bloody arrow descending in such speed that it looked more like a fall if not by its closed wings, Elrond saw this in the past and he knew that this was one of their more powerful and deadly moves, as if to prove his thoughts the harpy opened its wings in the last moment and connected with a warg and its orc rider with so much force that he heard the cracking sound of their bones followed by the cries of pain and agony of both creatures as they were lifted from the ground with the ease he had when lifting a child, only to be thrown back on the ground, unmoving and silent, he was sure they were dead.

 

The elven lord was close now, but he noticed the group of dwarves disappeared at some point and at least half of the orcs and wargs ran away, if it was thanks to the harpy fearsome attack or his own group of elves arriving he couldn't tell. 

 

╳╳╳

 

Kíli was the last one to enter the cave Gandalf found them to escape, but before jumping inside he was able to witness one of the most incredible things he had seen so far, Bilbo's attack was one worth of songs, he had seen how hawks dived to hunt for prey once or twice, but seeing a harpy doing it and lifting a warg with its rider as if weighted nothing was something different altogether.   
  
His uncle seemed as awed as worried, just like him. They started to walk deeper into the cave, Gandalf told them not to worry, that Bilbo knew where they were going and how to find them, but even so he still felt bad for leaving their friend behind, he really liked their feathery mother-hen of a hobbit and the mere thought of something happening to him made Kíli feel sick, his brother didn't seem much better than him with a worried expression and sagged shoulders and now that he looked around he could see everyone was probably feeling the same, running away wasn't in the nature of dwarves, much less running and leaving someone behind.   
  
That they had to escape wasn't something any of them could argue, even with a wizard and an harpy Kíli knew that the chances were slim to win against so many enemies, Bilbo staying behind to distract them until the rest of the Company escaped was a good plan, no matter how they hated it, he knew their hobbit could fly away from them easily, if Dwalin's sword couldn't scratch the feathery armor that covered Bilbo's body, Kíli was sure orcish arrows and blades didn't have a chance either.   
  
The elven arrow that he saw on the orc that fell in the cave entrance made the young prince struggle with mixed feelings, he didn't share the utter distrust his uncle and some of the others had with their race, the idea of Bilbo having more people to help him was great, but would they see Bilbo as what he was? A person not just a beast?   
  
And it was mulling over such dark thoughts that he continued to follow Gandalf and the others, he hated feeling so powerless. He prayed Mahal to give Bilbo protection, even if he was a creature of the sky, he was as brave as any dwarven warrior and he was sure not only him considered him family already.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
Bilbo wanted to have followed their friends through the underground passage after the elves arrived, but he needed to make sure that the orcs have been chased away even if new allies appeared, so he flew in circles for some time even before the foul creatures fled from his keen eyes and only descending to meet the elven party after being sure the surroundings were clear.   
  
Now that the rush of battle have passed he could feel how badly such strain affected his body, lifting a warg with a rider was a bad idea, no matter how good he felt at feeling the crack of their bones under his talons, he was not used to battle, no matter how many times he conveniently forgot it and this was his first real one, he should have been more careful, but it was hard to control the bloodlust when in feral form. He would have to though, his shoulders and the extension of his wings were killing him as badly as his legs all thanks to that stupid move, he just had to distract the orcs, but no, he had to go for the kill.   
  
The fact that he had killed two living thinking beings didn't shocked him as much as it should, or as much as he thought it would. These orcs and wargs wanted to kill his friends so he killed them instead, it was an oddly numb feeling and made him question his own morality, was he bad for doing what he did and not regretting it? He didn't think so, or so he forced himself to believe it, if he thought too much over it he wouldn't ever be able to protect those he cared and that was scarier than leaving his gentle nature behind, harpies were warriors in the past, he shouldn't feel ashamed for embracing this part of him.

 

╳╳╳

 

When the elven cavalry arrived Glóin felt both relieved and irritated, he never trusted elves and being surrounded by a group of them out of nowhere was simply too much for his already frayed nerves, so far the Company haven’t drawn their weapons, but when they were surrounded by the rider elves that just arrived they sure did, Glóin hated to admit, but the pretty long-legged bastards could be really intimidating no matter how many times he repeated to himself that they were just a bunch of arrogant arseholes. The sight of Bilbo flying just behind the elves and landing among the Company broke some of the animosity though and was replaced by cries of relief and lots of hugs, this at least was good news.

 

Glóin liked the lad since he joined the Company and as the days have gone by he was more and more surprised with the strength of their half-bird friend. Their Burglar gained his complete respect when he fought Dwalin from equal to equal without using any weapon aside from the ones he was born with, even if was just a sparring battle it took his breath away. 

 

After that day Bilbo often sparred with the rest of the Company, it wasn't in his feral form, but it was still good training and since his fighting style was so different than the way the members of the Company were used to spar with, they also learned in return. Glóin fought the lad many times and at each spar he felt his respect for him rising even more, he was sure it was the same for the others, even Thorin, that had the perpetual expression of someone that had just sucked a particular sour lemon, looked at the hobbit with fondness on his eyes when he thought no one was looking, so seeing that he wasn't harmed and found his way back to them made Glóin feel much better and less inclined to axe an elf just not to think how damned ethereal and beautiful these bastards were.

 

╳╳╳

 

  
Rivendell, Dori hated to admit, was a stunning place, it didn't have the same imposing presence of dwarven architecture with its geometrical forms and rough edges, but in its delicate frames and curves it held a different kind of beauty, delicate in appearance but timeless like their hosts.   
  
Dori didn't like being rude, not even with elves no matter how little respect he had for them, but he couldn't hold one or other muttered comment on how the food was lacking meat, he didn't mind salad as long as it was accompanied with something more consistent. Despite that he ate until feeling satisfied and after the main meal he was offered a type of floral tea he had never drunk before, it was one of the best teas he ever tasted and that was telling something considering his extensive knowledge about it, his dream had always been to open up a tea house, but life in Ered Luin wasn't easy and since he had a good hand with sewing he had to pick it as his main profession, he loved it all the same, but with the gold they would receive at the end of this quest (if they survive it that is) maybe his dream won't be something impossible at all.   
  
Bilbo loved the idea and was willing to help him expand his tea variety with the more unknown types of tea from his people and all the delicious sounding tea cake recipes! It was an exciting thought... and, who knows, maybe he could even convince Nori to work with him if he opened such a place, it was a good thought, he more than often fought with his brother because of his less than honourable ways to gain money, but deep down he knew that he was doing what was necessary to bring food to their table at the end of the day, he hated to admit it, but it wasn't always that his work could sustain them. Now though things were different, Nori wouldn't have to resort to stealing anymore and he more than deserved a calm and safe life.   
  
Ori, he knew, would probably work with Balin as part of the scribes of the court after Thorin reclaimed Erebor and was crowned king officially, he didn't like seeing his wee little brother, more like his own son, growing up, but he was and there was nothing he could do about it aside from support him. He himself suspected Thorin would want to put him in some kind of important position, like all the others in the Company, they were the only dwarves that heeded their king's call when he most needed and he was sure Thorin trusted them enough for such and would do it not only as a form of recompense as much as a way to have people he could trust by his side, but Dori didn't want to think about it at that moment, dreaming with his tea house while drinking a perfect cup of tea was way more relaxing than thinking about politics, they, after all, can end up all dead even before arriving at Erebor with how their luck was playing, so dream he did.


	7. Chapter 7

╳╳ Chapter 7: Respite before the storm. ╳╳

 

Óin had little patience to deal with the animosity the others of the Company (aside from Bilbo and Gandalf of course) showed towards their hosts, these were not the people that denied them aid in face of a catastrophe, they were just unfortunate to be of the same race, as long as they treated them fair he wouldn't complain or be rude with them just for the sake of it. His brother open rudeness was a very poor attempt to hide his fascination and despite amusing at first it was starting to get on his nerves, so he left the Company in their quarters to explore Rivendell, they would eventually have to leave their rooms as well. Óin was sure they would have to stay for some time by the talk Thorin had with Gandalf and Lord Elrond when they arrived, despite that, some of the Company didn't seem to grasp it and stubbornly stayed rooted in their room. He would not be the one to break the news and be the target of their ire though, Thorin was their king and leader, so let it be him the one to tell the others.   
  
As it seemed, at least for now, luck was smiling upon Óin, he found the healing quarters easily enough and there was an elven healer inside despite no patients, he suspected that in Rivendell they were few considering these parts were still relatively safe and, well, they were elves. The healer looked at Óin with the common blank expression most of their race regarded everyone, but Óin could feel he (or was she? it was hard to tell) was shifting slightly, maybe he was curious to see a dwarf in that area?   
  
"May I help you Master Dwarf?" Asked the elf, their voice was as ambiguous as their appearance (or maybe his poor hearing was worsening, but he didn't think so), so Óin still had no luck guessing this elf gender.   
  
_ Stick to neutral pronouns then. _ He thought briefly. "Actually, yes. I'm Óin son of Gróin at your service." He gave the elf a short bow and now he could say the other healer looked surprised, even if it was just barely perceptible.   
  
"I'm Elloar, the Head of the Healers of Rivendell, it's a pleasure." He greeted Óin in the elven fashion and bowed slightly, now that Óin noticed, Elloar was probably speaking in a louder tone or they voices had some kind of magic embedded in it since he wasn't having any difficulty to hear.   
  
"I'm sure you have heard of the group that arrived yesterday, I'm the healer of the Company." He said and some understanding seemed to cross the elf face   
  
From thereon Óin explained to Elloar how they were being chased and bound to found problems, probably hurting themselves in the battles to come, he was knowledgeable about dwarven medicine, but knowing new methods of healing would be helpful no matter what and he didn't mind to admit his knowledge about harpies was, at best, precarious and if anything happened to Bilbo because of his lack of knowledge he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.   
  
Elloar was eager to share the knowledge between them despite being mostly expressionless, for Óin's surprise (and maybe Elloar too) he was able to teach them as much as he was taught in return. In the end of the day he returned to the others with a feeling of accomplishment and with the promise he would come back in the next day and the others to come until they parted from Rivendell.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
"What? No!" Bilbo said laughing. He went on to pick up apples that morning since they didn't have much to do until Thorin talked to Lord Elrond about the map and the princes plus Ori decided to join him, despite lacking wings and claws they could climb trees almost as good as any respectable harpy.   
  
"How old are you then? We have been trying to guess for an entire hour! You can't be older than Thorin!" Kíli said trying to reach a particular difficult apple only to have it snached away by Bilbo's claws. "Noo!" He cried in mock anger only to laugh the next second.   
  
"You guys forget that all races age differently." He said in a light tone. "Elves are immortal, Man live at most a hundred years unless they are mixed blood, Dwarves normally until two hundred and fifty, but I heard of some that reached three hundred..." He jumped to the ground and finished piling the rest of the apples he picked into the mound that was his, not surprisingly it was bigger than the other three, he sat and started eating. "Harpies can live from eight hundred to one thousand years." At that he heard the three dwarrows gasp and Kíli almost fell from the tree. "Careful." He said between a bite.   
  
The three of them descended the tree with different levels of difficulty, poor Ori being the last and he had to be helped by Fíli at the end, joining Bilbo at their respective apple piles.   
  
"That's... a lot of time." Fíli said in a more serious tone.   
  
"You are older than Thorin then, older than all of us probably." Ori said more as a thought than a question.   
  
"Well, yes, but I'm considered middle aged, actually, in the peak of our lives, some harpies like to say." He said smiling at them, not liking to think of the implications of his race long lives, there was a reason most hobbits kept themselves separated from the world. "I'm four hundred and ten years old."   
  
Even knowing beforehand how long harpies lived the three of them looked at Bilbo with wide eyes.   
  
"Fo- four hundred?" Kíli almost screeched the last word and Bilbo couldn't resist chuckling.   
  
"Yes, four hundred."   
  
"Wait, you told us hobbits are not an adventurous folk, are you saying that there are people that stay a thousand years in the Shire and never go out?" Now it was Fíli's time to sound shocked.   
  
"When you say it like that you make it sound bad." Bilbo said frowning a bit, but he understood he feeling. "Until my grandparent's generation we weren't as peaceful as we are now." Bilbo told them remembering his mother stories about his people. "We were... a warrior race, to say the least."   
  
He sighed deeply and continued, this wasn't exactly a secret, but just a few people still knew how violent and battle crazy harpies were in the past, in which most of them were elves and they were polite enough to not comment about it to other races unless directly asked, even changing so drastically over the millenia, harpies still were regarded as savages for some, that's why hobbits avoided telling about their bloody past to outsiders. The three dwarves in front of him had became more like his family than his own relatives though, so there was no harm in telling them the history of his people.   
  
"The harpies of the past didn't have the same care we have today to not use our feral forms unchecked, they thought that if you couldn't control the beast, you didn't have the right to bind it. They urged the young to turn as soon as they were old enough to do so without harming themselves and stayed feral for weeks without rest, always flying to the direction of where war waged." He stopped to pick another apple and noticed how Fíli, Kíli and Ori seemed entranced by his tale, he smiled inwardly and continued after a bite. "I told you guys once that we had to transform to fight stronger enemies in the past and that many ended up losing themselves in such long suffering battles and that was true, but such enemies weren't always the ones to find us, my kind have always been hunters, today we hunt animals to eat and only that, in the past though we hunted those who opposed or threatened us, and when our enemies where all fallen the bloodcrazed ones would sell themselves for the thrill of killing, becoming vicious and fearsome mercenaries." Bilbo laughed bitterly at his own situation, he wasn't much different from them after all.   
  
"I never heard about it." Ori said with a small voice. "Thinking about it now, I never heard much about harpies."   
  
"The former generations did their best to erase our bloody past, people still talk of course, many still hear tales about 'the vicious man-eating harpies'" Bilbo scoffed. "But for the most part we are forgotten and those who visit the Shire out of curiosity end up with a completely different impression than the old tales, which is good for us. It took a long time to stop travelers from running at the sight of an harpy, when I was still a chick I remember some people still looked warily at us." Bilbo looked at the boys (because for him, no matter how much they protested they were still just boys in his eyes) with a sad smile. "It was hard for me to join you guys not only because of the dragon at the end of the journey." He sighed. "But also because at every new enemy I fight against in this journey I undo the work of hundreds of years of my people to change our reputation."   
  


He regretted his words when he saw as his three friends faces fell.   
  
"It's fine though." He said trying to fix the gloom mood that befell them. "Maybe it's time for we to be known again for our ferocity, but this time used for a greater good instead of egotistical reasons, reclaiming the lost home of an exiled race seems like the right way to start."   
  
And at that he could see three bright smiles being directed at him and then of course an avalanche of questions about the old bloody violent times that he so seldom tried to forget.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
Thorin wouldn't admit that Lord Elrond's help was, well, helpful.   
  
Having, if just in part, the door's location was a small blessing (maybe not so small, but, again, he wasn't going to admit that), so of course he was grateful and by grateful that meant he was not going to growl at the elves of Rivendell anymore. Maybe he was being a fool by acting like that, part of him thought, but after Thranduil's betrayal there was no way he was going to trust an elf ever again.   
  
Hobbits though, were another matter altogether. Having Bilbo with them, he could admit easily, was one of the best things that ever happened, even if Thorin didn't have the capacity to show it to their Burglar, sadly. He tried, really, he now was able to not try to run from him at every interaction like a startled deer (that was such a ridiculous part of him) and he started to pay attention at his eyebrows when he was near his feathery doom (because he liked to remind himself that he was doomed, but not in a bad way, hopefully) after Dwalin all but slapped his head and told him how bad of an impression he was giving Bilbo by doing that. It wasn't a conscious thing, he swore to his old friend, but, as always, the dwarf warrior couldn't care less 'Do something about it or I'll tell Bilbo.' he didn't even specify what he was going to tell, Thorin knew and the prospect made him dizzy, he wasn't prepared to let his feelings be known, not yet.   
  
_ I'm pathetic. _ He thought.  _ I can face an army of orcs, but I can't tell him how I feel. _   
  
Lost in such thoughts he  wandered the halls of Rivendell until the gardens and there he saw Bilbo and the three younger members of his Company sitting in the grass and eating what looked like a lot of apples, the hobbit was probably telling a great story since his nephews weren't fidgeting or running like the little runts that they were. The sight warmed his heart, maybe after the quest was done and Erebor retaken he would be able to tell Bilbo and who knows, maybe such a scene wouldn't be a rare sight after that.   
  
The thought of the future made him feel a twinge of pain in his heart though, he was going to send the person he loved to face a dragon... and no matter how strong or ferocious Bilbo was (by Mahal his heart beated faster every time he recalled the moment Bilbo dived in the sky and lifted a warg from the ground), he was still just a person and if anything happened to Bilbo, Thorin didn't know what he would do. It was like fate loved to make fun of him, why had he had to fall for their Company's Burglar? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those that had read before, this was the final chapter, though I fixed some things and separated the chapters by word count (more or less around 2k) I haven't changed anything significative in the plot, the next chapters are the same story separated more evenly.


	8. Chapter 8

╳╳ Chapter 8: Stone giants roughhousing. ╳╳

 

Having to sneak out of Rivendell like a thief in the night (or dawn in their case) was ironic at best, irritating at worst, Nori thought.

He was glad the elves were nice enough to warn them about the possibility of an angry wizard (that was _not_ Gandalf) trying to stop their quest because, _of course_ he didn't like the idea of thirteen dwarves plus a hobbit awakening a dragon, no one seemed to understand why they were doing this quest, it was not just for the sake of revenge _or_ the gold. Their people were dying, children were a rare sight in the Blue Mountains, outnumbered by the old and adults, poverty and hunger was a common occurrence between his people, they needed Erebor if they wanted to _live_ , not just survive.   
  
Nori was a thief out of necessity, not because he liked it and by the Valar, he was tired. He didn't even argued with Dori these last few years like he used to do when he started to work in this kind of ‘job’, he knew his brother was right, but at that time it was that or let his brothers go hungry for a few days until Dori found another customer. He never stole from the poor or hungry, only from those who had too much to spare and wouldn't, he didn't targeted rich but good people either, even if he was a thief, he still had morals, no matter how shaky they were.

Ori, bless him, never tried to lecture Nori like his older brother did so many times, his little brother was bright since he was little and more perceptive than both Nori and Dori together. Nori learned with time, that Ori was a good listener and more often than he liked to admit he opened up to him, sometimes complaining about how troublesome was to work with dishonest people or other menial things related to his not so proper ways of acquiring money, other rarer times when he was fed up of this kind of life he would confide to Ori how tired he was feeling and how much he wished to just be able to work honestly without having to worry about being caught or to watch his back at every alley with fear of being targeted by others from this line of work.

Ori never told him to stop it though, he knew why Nori did what he did, but he could see the pain in Ori’s eyes when he saw him like that. Thorin’s request was both an excuse to finally stop and leave this kind of life behind and a thread of hope that maybe the future for him (and his family) wasn't doomed after all.

At the end of this quest Nori hoped with all his heart that things would get better and who knows, maybe he could start working with embroidery again, it was something that he always enjoyed doing and was good at, sadly the low income paid for such services prevented him from making embroidery his main job, with the quest over and the gold gained though, he and his brothers wouldn't have to worry about food ever again and he could dedicate himself to something he loved and not worry about the dark things his former line of work would often bring to his mind.

 

╳╳╳

 

Bofur was starting to hate rain, he realized.

Before this quest he even liked it, the sound of raindrops, the smell of earth in his nostrils, the refreshing raindrops that tickled his face.

That was before traveling for almost a week under heavy rain though, constantly cold and uncomfortable with wet clothes… that was in the very start of their adventure, now was even _worse_ ! They were in the middle of these accursed mountains being constantly bombarded by freezing winds and a never ending storm, as if not enough the path was narrow and treacherous and now _stone giants started to fight_. Was that Mahal’s Will for them to fail? Because that was the only reason he could think they were hit by so much bad luck in the course of a few days.

At least Bilbo wasn’t having the same problem regarding the path since their Burglar was, literally, crawling in the wall above them. It was really strange to see his friend walking (crawling) like that in the vertical stone as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he could bet not even goblins could walk walls like that, not with such ease _and_ grace, of course they didn't have those wicked claws to hold them in place either, so there was that.

Being able to walk relatively safer didn't mean their hobbit’s mood was much better than the others, he could see Bilbo’s expression and his face was creased with worry, it was in that moment though that Bofur regretted distracting himself, he felt his right foot slip and in the next second there was no floor, he was falling and the others were crying his name.

It was strange, he thought, he knew he was going to die, but he wasn't panicking, he was just- frozen in that moment.

A pair of red eyes locked with his a second later and he thought in that moment that that was the stare of death itself, but they were gone in a blink and he felt pain on his shoulders than was jerked up, it was not the pain of his broken bones he realized, it was the reassuring feeling of the claws of his friend.

Bofur was _flying_. He thought a moment later only to start laughing like a maniac, it was exhilarating despite the near-death moment he just had.

 

╳╳╳

 

Bombur felt a wave of relief wash over him when he heard his brother laugher, he should be more concerned about his own safety, for they were still being manhandled by the stone giants, but his world had frozen the moment he saw his brother slipping from the narrow path and falling to the dark abyss below. He didn’t have the chance to process what was the blur that passed them until Bilbo was already grabbing Bofur's shoulders and lifting him in the skies, safely tucked under his talons.  
  
He barely registered that his hands were shaking and he managed to get to the rear of the Company to where his brother was being placed with care. He heard his feathery friend mutter a 'careful you idiot' before pulling his brother in a tight hug that had him gasping for air, Bofur, of course laughed and hugged him back.   
  
Their small break (if that could even be called that) was short lived though for the stone giants were still fighting and he saw with horror as half of the Company was separated from the rest and disappearing in the colliding stones. 

  
╳╳╳   


 

Thorin shouted for the others feeling despair welling up on his chest, this part of their trip was being a damned disaster and he couldn't even begin to imagine losing half his friends and family because of this damned quest, his shouts of worry were echoed by the others that were still hanging for dear life in the moving stone giant when they saw the others reappearing in a seemingly safer side of the mountain, his sight of relief was cut though by their own side moving towards the stone on the other side.  
  
Between the cries and thunder he shouted the rest of the Company to jump to safety and so they did, when he looked back he could see that everyone was there, including their Burglar that was now crouching in the same path as the others, claws out and eyes glowing red, he was still not fully transformed in his feral state though and for some reason this made Thorin's worry decrease a little.   
  
They managed to reassemble and get out of the way of the stone giants, Fíli and Kíli finding a small damp cave for shelter that was better than nothing. When they entered he checked on the members of the Company, all of them were looking tired and ragged, some bearing some scratches and bumps, but all in all they seemed fine, or as fine as someone could be after unwillingly participating of such a fight, all but Bilbo that looked warily at his surroundings, sometimes sniffing the air and making a displeased face, Thorin approached him worried.   
  
"Are you alright Master Baggins?" He asked in an amiable tone, after everything he had to force himself to at least treat him with respect, he saved his Company two times so far and now Bofur's life, he should get a grip of his behavior around Bilbo as Dwalin had pointed out and if he kept treating the lovely (yet fierce) hobbit badly because of his own issues how could he expect to have any chance when he confess to him? (If ever, but even a broken king could dream.)   
  
"As good as one can be after all that..." He trailed off with a weak wave of his hands, he was tired Thorin could tell, what he didn't anticipated was how much the weak yet charming smile of the hobbit would affect him, he was sure he blushed, even if just a little, hopefully his face was caked enough in dirt to cover this slip, he hoped.   
  
"I'm sure we all share the sentiment." Thorin said chuckling despite their situation. "This path to the Misty Mountains are proving to be way more troublesome than I anticipated." He managed to change his thoughts to the predicament at hand, embarrassing himself in front of his beloved hobbit was the last thing he wanted to do.   
  
"It's not only that." The hobbit said with alert eyes, Thorin looked at him worried. "This cave smells like orc, or something as foul as them, I don't think we are safe here.”   
  
Oh blast it all, of course the only shelter they are able to find in these mountains have to be infested by such filth, Thorin sighed heavily and he was sure he was wearing a dark expression, Bilbo looked at him with contained reluctance in his eyes and this made Thorin snap back from the self-pity he was allowing himself to fall into, he relaxed his face and tried to not sound as somber as he was feeling instead.   
  
"Well, that's bad, but we don't have much of a choice here." He contemplated. "It's good that you noticed this though, we better stay alert and avoid sleeping, at least this way there's no chances of we being caught off guard." Then he gave Bilbo a tired smile. "Thank you." He said with sincerity in his voice and was rewarded with a stunned expression that was almost as endearing as the blush that crept their Burglar's face.   
  
"We- well, your- your welcome of course." Bilbo answered after stuttering a little and ruffling his feathers a bit only to smooth it back and ruffle it again as if not knowing what to do with them, Thorin had to suppress a chuckle, no matter how deadly this little feathery creature could be, he was also absolutely endearing sometimes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a thing with Gollum hehe...

╳╳ Chapter 9: Clashings in the dark. ╳╳

 

When the very floor opened below them Glóin shouldn't have felt so surprised, it was just expected considering their blasted luck. They weren't completely off guard thanks to Bilbo's sense of smell and Thorin's orders to not sleep, most of the Company have complained when his king ordered them that, even with the very reasonable motive behind, considering how tired they were it was understandable. Now though he couldn’t be more grateful, if he had been sleeping when this happened things could have gone very bad.   
  
The waves of goblins surrounded the Company and aside from glancing around to check on the closer members he couldn't do much aside from axe the hell out of those filthy creatures. They were weak, one swing of his battleaxe was able to kill at least three in a blow, but their numbers were exponentially inverse to their strength, so that meant that there was a  _ lot _ . He barely heard the cry of some members calling out Bilbo's name when he and the others were overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of enemies, at some point the axe was pulled out of his hand and all he could do was groan and follow the others as they were lead to the ugliest and biggest goblin he ever saw.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
The pain that irradiated Bilbo's left wing made him regret waking up, he groaned under his breath and stayed where he was, trying to remember what happened.   
  
The ground opened below them, there was a lot of goblins, so much that their stench made him dizzy and consequently slower, he fell from the platform they landed and before he could hold into something to avoid his fall he felt his wing being teared by some pointy rock, pain flaring through it like liquid fire, to make things worse he hit his head in another stone losing consciousness and probably falling even further in that damned place.   
  
Great. Now he was hurt and alone. 

He sighed heavily before opening his eyes and accessing his surroundings only to be completely baffled by what he saw. He noticed, a little belatedly that he was actually lying in what seemed like a low bed with a lot of piled blankets making up for a mattress, old but clean blankets. His surroundings were somewhat dark, but his eyes easily adjusted themselves and he noticed that, whatever was this place, have been at some point a cave, but the walls have been smoothed out in circular arcs that reminded him of his own home in the Shire, with the starkly difference it was carved on stone not a tree. He was in what seemed the middle of an underground lake, the surface placid and as smooth as the floor below him, the strange island he was located despite the few furnitures (there was what seemed like a stone table filled with parchment, ink and some nick knacks close to him, an old chair and a bundle of clothes neatly folded at the side) looked homely in a strange way that made him feel sad.

When he tried to get up though, he almost jumped out of his feathers when he heard a voice behind him.

“I would rest some more if I was you little one.” The voice was deep and sounded strange to Bilbo’s ears, almost like the timbre was wrong. 

When he turned his head to see who was the person that helped him (he finally noticed that his wing was cleaned and bandaged with clean clothes) he let his mouth hang open in surprise.

The person was the strangest and most ethereal harpy Bilbo had ever saw in his entire life, Bilbo’s brain seemed unable to discern his age, he felt old, older than any harpy have to bear living, but at the same time there was no aging lines in his smooth face, his eyes were of the familiar glowing red of his kin when feral, but they seemed wise and kind instead of filled with rage and violence. His feathers were breathtaking, its colors of such a deep black that it was as if it swallowed light instead of reflecting it, he was tall too, taller than Bilbo, almost as tall as a Man and finally he noticed the amused smile on the stranger’s face, urging Bilbo to close his mouth before embarrassing himself any further.

The black harpy chuckled at Bilbo's reaction, reaching closer and kneeling in front of him checking his bandaged wing with wise eyes.

“You broke your wing in the fall, it's better to avoid using it for some time if you can, this way will heal in a matter of a month or two, we’re a sturdy sort.” He smiled gently to Bilbo and got up walking to the chair and pulling it close to the smaller harpy, sitting himself on it and looking at Bilbo with curious eyes. “You can call me Golum, I have claimed this part of the mountain as my own for a long time now, may I ask who are you?” 

Golum's words were polite and genuinely curious (and rightfully asked, by what he said Bilbo all but fell in his home), but he couldn't stop the thread of uneasiness from reaching his stomach, no matter what, if a person claimed the underside of a goblin-infested mountain as their home they were bound to be insanely powerful.   
  
Shaking such thoughts from his mind and focusing on the person in front of him he started to tell him the tale of his journey so far, since the very beginning of the quest in Bag End, he hoped Thorin would forgive him for telling his plans to this near-stranger, but he was a (probably powerful and old) harpy and he trusted his kin.   
  
"That's how I ended up here." Bilbo finished, now worried sick about his dwarf friends and trying not to jump from where he was sitting and crawl back at them, not caring about his broken wing at all. "I truly hope they are fine." He sighed unhappily.   
  
"Well, dwarves are as sturdy as harpies little Bilbo, I'm sure they will find a way out of this mountains, if they are willing to face a dragon I'm sure a few goblins won't stop them." Gollum said with a smile and Bilbo reflected on how much 'few' consisted to him, considering the overwhelming amount of creatures Bilbo saw before falling. "Your quest is a difficult one, yet helping those who lost their home to recover it is a noble goal, but you won't be of any help to them if you end up injuring yourself more than you already have." He said pointing out to Bilbo's broken wing, he lifted himself up and went to the table, pouring a silver-colored liquid into a cup and bringing it with him. "Drink this, it will help the healing process and will numb the pain, it's better if you rest for a few hours for the medicine to make its effect, after that I'll show you the way outside of the mountain."   
  
Bilbo wanted to say no, he knew he needed to be healed if he wanted to be of any use to his friends, but the idea of resting even if it was just a few more hours while his friends were probably fighting for their lives settled terribly wrong in his mind. For some strange reason he couldn't bring himself to distrust Gollum though, no matter how little he knew of him and how wary he should feel of a stranger that lived in such strange place, he resembled Bilbo of the old heroes of the past, harpies as old as elves and stronger still, masters of their beasts, he thought about it for a long moment before resigning himself and taking the drink from Gollum's hands.   
  
The moment he drunk the silver-colored liquid though he regretted with all his might to have blindly trust the black feathered harpy, the drink fell heavy on his stomach and a second after he felt a mind-numbing pain irradiate from his stomach to the rest of his body making him cry in agony and fall back on the makeshift mattress. Before he could hit though he felt a pair of arms holding him gently in place.   
  
"It's fine, don't worry." He heard the strange sounding voice of Gollum echoing in his ears, but his mind was muddled with the pain and his vision already growing dark. "I have been waiting for a long time little one." The voice urged. "I need to know if you are strong enough to carry such burden." And with these last words his world faded to black.   
  


╳╳╳   
  


The sight of the little young harpy writhing in pain and agony in Gollum's arms made Sméagol stir to the front of their mind and gently tug at the body's control, the words of his other self escaping their lips in a broken soft voice so fitting of her.   
  
"Do we have to?" She asked him, tears threatening to fall, her eyes no longer red like blood, but blue as they should always have been. "He is so young Gollum..." She said cradling the golden harpy in her arms. "Do we need to charge him with such burden? Even if he pass the test, it's not fair."   
  
No, it was not, Gollum knew.   
  
His very existence was only possible because Sméagol's heart have not been strong enough to bear the burden of the accursed jewel... or, looking at it on a brighter light, maybe it was only thanks to her strength that she was able to create Gollum after all. Yet, no matter how strongly woven in his very existence his purpose was craved, to not succumb to the ring's corruption, he still was breaking and Sméagol knew it too.   
  
"How long do you think any of us can last, my friend?" He asked her inside their minds, without the need to say such ominous words out loud, but bearing their weight all the same.   
  
She just shook her head slightly and let the tears fall, the little one stopped convulsing with the pain and would soon be ready to be put on test, Gollum released the control completely to allow Sméagol more freedom of their shared body, the black feathers losing its colors until they were starkly white, the perfect match for her sky blue eyes.

  
╳╳╳

  
  
Bilbo didn't knew where he was or what was happening, everything was dark and muddy and his thoughts were a mess, all he knew was that something bad was lurking, no matter how sweetly alluring such thing was. It was strange, he thought, how could he know something was bad when he didn't even knew  _ what  _ it was? No matter, he tried with all his might reject it and for his surprise (why was he surprised after all?) whatever bad thing that it was retreated and left him alone in his own mind.   
  
_ Oh _ , he finally understood,  _ I'm dreaming _ , or so it appeared.


	10. Chapter 10

╳╳ Chapter 10: Broken bones and heartfelt reunions. ╳╳

  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Bilbo started to feel his body again and the haze of unconsciousness slowly faded, when he opened his eyes he noticed he was not inside the mountain anymore.   
  
The sky was bright and cloudless and he felt a twinge of pain on his eyes as they adjusted to the clarity, he breathed in deeply at the fresh air invading his lungs and heard a noise of movement at his side, noticing with a start that another person was nearby. Whoever this person was though, wasn't the same that poisoned him (that was surely poison right? He never felt so much pain in all his life), but it was another harpy, he frowned at that, maybe not all of his people decided to live peacefully after all.   
  
Sky blue eyes looked at him and it finally dawned on Bilbo that this harpy was white, utterly and completely white, he couldn't stop the gasp of admiration that escaped his lips.   
  
White harpies were considered sacred messengers of the Valar to his people, they were so rare that some dismissed them as embellished legends. More fervent believers would say that it was just still not the time, or that the last White Dove was still alive, no matter how many millenia it have been passed, and that that was the only reason another one was not born yet.   
  
Bilbo never paid attention to such legends, the bickering seemed meaningless to him, a white harpy have not been reported for more than three thousand years, so why bother, right? But now that a living legend was right in front of him he felt that maybe he should have paid attention after all.

“I’m glad you are awake little one.” The white harpy said with a gentle melodic voice. “I’m Sméagol, Gollum’s old friend.”

At the mention of the black harpy’s name Bilbo stiffened, he didn't want to be suspicious of such a sacred creature, but Gollum have appeared nice and all but poisoned him.

“He didn't mean to harm you, but it was a necessary test.” She continued in her calm tone, easing some of Bilbo’s tension. “We both have been carrying a burden for a very long time, it is a ring of power that in the wrong hands can destroy Arda itself.”

Bilbo’s eyes widened at the mention, the only ring capable of such destruction could be…

“We are breaking little one.” Sméagol words were low and filled with so much sadness that Bilbo felt his own heart tight in sympathy. “We can't carry it anymore.” Then she looked at Bilbo's eyes and her beautifully blue ones were almost pleading.

Everything fell into place in that moment, Gollum's strange drink seemed eerily similar with the description of a very powerful potion used in ancient times by the harpies to separate their spirit from the beast that shared their soul, making them at the same time vulnerable, but also in absolute control of their minds, if they needed to know how such a powerful evil thing could affect an harpy, doing it was the best way.

But something was wrong, he barely had to fight the strange presence in his mind to make it go away, that couldn't have been the ring, his confusion might have shown in his face for Sméagol laughed.

“Gollum was surprised too.” She said, all the pain gone replaced by mirth. “I always told him that I’m the exception to the rule, harpies are almost immune to the effects of the ring, no wonder his creator never made one for our race, but Gollum never believed in me until now.” She crouched closer to Bilbo’s sitting form (he was still feeling dizzy to get up) and took his hand with gentle claws, placing a small golden ring in his hand. “Please, don't let it fall to the hands of another and…” She closed his hands and looked at his eyes, leaf green meeting blue skies. “When the time is right you will find the right one to bear it as well, he will be of your own blood and the last ringbearer, for he will be the one to carry the ring back to Amon Amarth to be finally,  _ finally _ destroyed.”

Despite the clear meaning of her words, a world free of such darkness, it sounded foreboding to Bilbo's ears.

“Mine and Gollum's part on this play have still not ended and we will meet again in the future Bilbo Baggins of Bag End.”

And just like that the white harpy lifted her body and with a graceful flap of her wings she flew, leaving a stunned and confused Bilbo behind.

 

╳╳╳

 

Finding the Company was relatively easy for Bilbo's surprise. He was still dizzy, his wing was killing him and he would not be able to turn feral until the potion worked out of his body (which could take days), but when he heard the screams of very familiar voices he couldn't hold the smile that crept into his face.

He tried to run to the direction of their voices, but he was limping (probably twisted his ankle in the fall too) and at every hushed step pain flared through his body like the beating of a heart, great. He tried to call them of course, but his voice was weak and between it and the cacophony of sounds that followed the escaping dwarves Bilbo wasn't surprised they didn't heard him.

He was utterly relieved when he saw that they stopped, Gandalf counting them like a worried father only to gasp in horror as he noticed Bilbo's absence, before any of them could start worry though Bilbo shouted weakly at them.

“I’m here!” He tried, his voice still weak, but this time he was near enough to be heard and a bunch of heads snapped back to his direction, despite his sore state he couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips.

“Bilbo!” Some of the dwarves called, followed by a chorus of other similar cries.

“Burglar!”

“Master Boggins!” That was definitely Kíli.

“Birdie!”

Now that last one would have earned whoever called him that a deadly glare with a bonus of glowing red eyes, but he was so relieved and tired (and in  _ pain _ ) that he didn't mind.

The Company surrounded him making a lot of questions all at the same time that through his dizzy mind he could barely register until Gandalf and Óin silenced them and got closer. 

“What happened to your wing laddie?” Óin asked while examining him with care.

“Broken.” He rasped and he heard a few gasps from the company. “I broke it in the fall, hit my head too, blacked out for some time.”

“Where did you found bandages.” The dwarf healer asked with a confused expression. “And how did you manage to wrap them up like that with only one arm.”

“I was helped by another harpy.” And at his words Bilbo could see a range of different expressions between the Company, from Fíli’s excited face to Gandalf contemplative frown and Thorin's genuine concern, the last making a warm feeling bloom in Bilbo's chest.

“Another-” Before Óin could continue though the chilling howl of a warg could be heard in the distance.

Dizzy, with a broken wing and with his inner beast locked away from his reach, Bilbo paled and felt a wave of fear wash over his body.

 

╳╳╳

  
Thorin felt his mouth dry at the howling sound, Bilbo was in no condition to fight, he had a broken wing, probably a concussion and by what he could see the small harpy was staying up by sheer will if his slurred words and unfocused eyes were any indication.   
  
"Out of the frying pan..." He got himself saying out loud.   
  
"And into the fire." Gandalf completed. "Run!" He shouted and with that the whole Company was running again.   
  
Thorin run to Bilbo's side and without saying anything to the limping harpy, he all but picked him bride-style and kept running even faster, through the rising panic he barely registered the small squeak his feathery companion made or how weak was the grip in his neck.   
  
The rising dread he was feeling only proved right when they reached a dead end, he looked around wildly, searching for any way of escape, but they were in the edge of a cliff, there was no way out.   
  
_ If only Bilbo could fly _ , he thought helplessly.   
  
"Up in the trees!" Gandalf said all but throwing some of the company to the lower branches.   
  
"Can you climb with one arm Bilbo?" He asked him gently despiste the urgency and the hobbit nodded weakly making Thorin's heart squeeze with worry, he helped him up and climbed behind, paying close attention to his wounded companion, only when Bilbo was safely clutched in one of the taller branches that he let his breath out, his relief was short lived though, for the wargs were on their heels and with them were the orcs.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
Balin couldn't believe his eyes when a white warg and its equally pale rider appeared from the trees like a damned apparition, his breath was caught in his lungs and he felt the blood drain from his face, if Azog the Defiler was there, they were in deep trouble.   
  
Time seemed to pass too fast for Balin’s liking from that moment on, shouts could be heard, the damned pale orc started to say something to them (or to the other orcs) in his thrice-cursed black speech, Gandalf started to throw fiery pinecones below to scare the wargs, but all it did was put the pine trees on fire, the trees that they were hanging for dear life by the way.   
  
Then as if their luck wasn't bad enough the trees started to fall in a giant fiery domino effect and he and the others had to jump from one to another until they were hanging in the last one, wargs in the front and a precipice below, at that point Balin's despair was replace by sheer annoyance.   
  
_ What a way to die _ . He thought tiredly.   
  
Then, of course, Thorin had to majestically walk to Azog's direction through the pine tree trunk, while fire blazed by both of his sides and the wind blowed his hair like some sort of dwarf hero of old times, if Balin wasn't hanging for dear life and Thorin was, much probably, walking to his death, Balin would have snorted.


	11. Chapter 11

╳╳ Chapter 11: All is fair in love and war. ╳╳

  
  
Bilbo's heart was beating as fast like a hummingbird at the scene playing in front of him, Thorin was fighting the pale orc and its warg with such skill that was beautiful to see and in the back of Bilbo's mind he recognized certain moves he taught the dwarves in the times he sparred with them, he countered their blows and swirled to both faint and strike and at one point he beheaded one of the orcs with such swiftness that if Bilbo haven't been head over heels for the dwarf king he was sure he would have fallen now.

  
But orcs weren't fair, so Thorin was not fighting only two powerful opponents, but also the other orcs and wargs that followed them here, he was being overwhelmed and if he didn't help Thorin now, Bilbo would regret it for the rest of his life. The battered hobbit urged his body to move, including his broken wing, pushing the flaring pain to the back of his mind and focusing on the only person that mattered in that moment, clawing his way from the tree trunk in the same path Thorin used, looking much more like the feral beast his kind could turn than the desperate wounded harpy that he was. When he reached the battlefield he growled from the depths of his lungs and lunged.

  
  
╳╳╳

  
  
Dahamab felt the fur of her back rise at the growl she heard behind her, it was not one of her kin nor the sound any dwarf was capable of making. She was not afraid of course, she was the White Death, the Matriarch of the Wargs of Gundabad, raised and named by Azog the Defiler, she didn't knew what was fear.   
  
The creature that lunged at one of her children and its rider was nothing like anything she had ever seen though, golden feathers covered its body, he had wings (even though one was tied by a bloody white linen) and talons, yet it walked like the wyrms of the north, the sight made her weary, whatever that was it shared the Eagle's blood with something else and the damned birds were a pain to deal, regardless it was just it and the dwarf, she would feast in this bird's flesh at the end of the day, she was sure.

  
╳╳╳

  
  
Thorin felt both grateful and worried when Bilbo came to fight by his side, the hobbit was not in his feral form and despite the feathers of his broken wing being changed to coppery he felt the cold tendrils of dread at his heart for a brief moment when an orc blade connected with Bilbo's wing, the familiar clang of metal on hardened feathers made him breath easily again, Bilbo was fine, at least for now.   
  
Despite that momentary relief Thorin knew what could happen if his beloved harpy was to be stabbed or bitten in any other place, he was too vulnerable in this form and Thorin would have to give his all if he wanted to protect him.   
  
Instead of letting such thoughts hinder him though, Thorin used it to fuel his fury and fought with even more ferocity than before, slashing and stabbing the wargs and orcs that dared to cross his and Bilbo's way. They fought back to back, Bilbo now with his short sword in hand and his right half-transformed wing as a shield and Thorin descending Orcrist in their enemies with the same level of bloodlust of Berserker warriors of the far past. The accursed albino warg and Azog circled them and attacked between the strikes of his minions unashamed to use such vile tricks, his and Bilbo's formation wasn't easy to broke though and one covered the other's weak spot in a both frightening and astonishing deadly dance that composed their moves.   
  
The exiled king was pleasantly surprised when he heard his friends war cries coming at his aid and in a question of seconds after they arrival the tides of battle changed at their favor.

  
╳╳╳   
  


Dwalin haven't felt his blood boil with the call of battle in such a strong way for a long time, he realized.   
  
Watching his king and their broken yet fierce golden hobbit fighting together against a horde of orcs and wargs was a sight to behold, it was breathtaking in a way that made his heart hammer against his chest and his hand clench in his warhammer as if the weapon itself was pleading its master to join them... and how could one deny such a visceral calling? One simply could not.   
  
He didn't remember how he climbed out of the fallen tree or even how he arrived at the heart of the battle, only that he was there and that his body was moving on his own, hitting his enemies with undiluted strength. Even through the loud cacophony of battle he still could hear and feel the crushing of skin and bones of his enemies when his weapon connected and with it a renewed wave of vigor washing over his body, around him were also the others of the Company that were able to climb as well, shouting their own battle cries while fighting their enemies with the same intensity of the fires of their creator's forge burning in their souls.

  
╳╳╳

 

Bifur lost his own weapon in the heat of the battle, but he soon ‘found’ an orc sword and was beheading its former owner with the swiftness of a lumberjack, in other words he hacked the blunt thing in its neck again and again until the head rolled off, his face was a bloody mess at the end, but it wasn't his, so all was fine.   
  
A creepy smile was playing in his lips and the battle frenzy was at full force in the moment, he knew that at the end of it he would be feeling absolutely sore for fighting with such abandon, but he couldn't care less, the sight of the earlier battle when Thorin and Bilbo were fighting against the orcs and wargs was enough to ignite the flame of his Berserker days, even if the surge of power wasn't the same anymore.   
  
The battle was intense and Bifur didn't try to fight with grace (he never was able to) like some of the Company could so easily do, but despite his crude movements he was efficient to a fault and no orc or warg that crossed him was able to survive, if they didn't fall immediately they would die later for sure.   
  
He was ready to strike a particular big warg when he heard the eagles’ cry, the coward beast retreated at the sound as so did some others, to Bifur's delight though, the ones that stayed were soon slaughtered or driven away by the giant birds’ aerial attack.

  
╳╳╳   


  
When Dori felt his hands slip from Gandalf’s staff he didn't think he would hit something solid so fast, to his surprise he did, it wasn't the ground below though, but the back of the biggest bird he had ever laid his eyes upon. He looked around frantically searching for his brothers and to his relief he saw that Ori and Nori were fine as well as the others that now were all being carried by the giant Eagles.   
  
Everyone seemed mostly unscathed with the exception of Thorin and Bilbo, the former had a wicked looking gash on his face that was probably hurting terribly and the latter was laying on the dwarf king's arms apparently unconscious and unmoving, his right wing turned in a strange way, Dori's felt his heart tighten on his chest, Bilbo could not die, not because of them.   
  
Even though he was worried there was nothing he could do at that moment aside from let the eagles take them away from the orcs and wargs that attacked the Company, the dwarf tailor knew this wasn't going to be the last time he saw them, with Azog on the hunt there was no chance he would give them up, not now nor in the future.

  
Strangely the flight helped to calm Dori to an extent, the last day (or days, he didn't know how long they stayed inside the mountains) was horribly exhausting, escaping being crushed by stone giants to only have the floor of their only shelter opened up and falling into the very heart of a goblin city, fighting then, running, fighting again and after finally getting out of it being chased by a warg pack and Azog the Defiler. Dori sighed, he felt tired just remembering it.   
  
When the eagles started to descend Dori braced himself, but they were swift in their flight as much as their landing and in a question of minutes he was safely put on the ground together with the others.   


  
╳╳╳

 

Thorin's blood was roaring in his ears with the same pace of his desperate heart, Bilbo fought by his side with a fierceness and bravery that made Thorin fall for him even more than before if that was even possible, the eagles arrived then for Thorin's surprise and relief and without thinking he picked Bilbo by the waist once again and jumped to the back of his new ally, but the moment they left the battle his beloved harpy went limp in Thorin's arms and no matter how much he called Bilbo's name the small hobbit would not answer. 

To make matters worse Bilbo’s breath was ragged, his face was contorted in pain even in his unconsciousness and his right wing was back to normal, despite the protection the transformed feathers gave Bilbo, Thorin saw with dawning horror that his bones didn't share the same enhanced resilience when not fully feral, they were twisted in strange painful angles and Thorin was sure that Bilbo gained many new fractures on his already broken wing.

When they landed Thorin placed Bilbo carefully on the ground, calling his name gently in hope his friend showed some sort of reaction, even if it was just a moaning of pain. Before Thorin's despair started to turn into hopelessness though, Gandalf was by Bilbo's side touching his head with gentle fingers. The Company was around them in a semi-circle, worried eyes directed at their fallen friend.

Gandalf touched the tip of his staff in Bilbo's chest and murmured strange words in a foreign language that Thorin couldn't understand, when he finished the few seconds that passed until Bilbo's still form started to stir were one of the most agonizing moments Thorin had felt in his turbulent life.

The others of the Company gave Bilbo space and Thorin helped him to get up. His hobbit’s face was still pained and he looked terribly tired, the bandages that held his broken wing in place before were lost in the midst of battle and now the limb was hanging open and limp on the ground, much like a wounded bird. Amidst all the pain the hobbit was for sure suffering, he smiled at Thorin, a beautiful broken thing and for a moment the world was forgotten and the only thing he could focus was the person in front of him. His body moved on his own and when his mind finally caught what he was doing Bilbo was already in his arms, he was careful to not hurt the broken wing, but he still squeezed Bilbo in his arms, he was safe now, alive and breathing and  _ there _ .

“I love you Bilbo.” He couldn't stop the words that escaped his mouth in a hushed whisper, he didn't want to stop them, not when he almost lost his One without ever properly saying how he felt.

 

╳╳╳

 

Bilbo's body was a terrible collection of pain so strong that he didn't knew how he was even awake, but when he saw Thorin there in front of him he couldn't stop the smile that escaped his lips, thanks to Manwë and Aüle, they survived, Thorin survived.

Thorin's fierce hug took Bilbo by surprise, but it was a pleasant one so he let himself melt into it, even the pulsing pain was worth it to be embraced by the one he loved, by his  _ Soulmate _ , after everything that happened, Bilbo was certain now.

Then he heard the whispered words that left Thorin’s mouth and let out a weak gasp, his heart was filled with joy and warmth and even the pain seemed to dull in comparison of how  _ gleeful  _ he was feeling, he used his still working arm to hug Thorin back, clutching in his cape and burying his face in Thorin's neck, a single tear of joy falling from his tired eyes.

“I love you too, Thorin.” And without thinking he untangled himself from Thorin just enough to give him a fierce kiss, be damned the consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha, I bet you guys thought I was dead, thrown in a ditch somewhere deserted. It was something almost like that actually. 
> 
> I know I said it right after posting this story, but now I fixed most of its typos and mistakes and, believe it or not I'm actually working on the sequel! And I'm thinking about posting the continuation chapter by chapter instead of writing it all, at least I won't make you all waiting even longer (sorry guys my life's a real mess).
> 
> For those reading this for the first time, this is the end of part 1 (movie 1) and I shall post the next two soon (this time for real lol).
> 
> & for everyone, thank you for reading, giving kudos, critics and commenting! I love you all! <3


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